Improvement in fly-traps



J. A. BLAUVELT.

FLY-TRAP. Y

No.173,Z58 Patented Feb. 8 1876.

miinesfies: I Efmmrim NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN A. BLAUVELT, OF PARK RIDGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO ELLEN BLAUVELT, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN FLY-TRAPS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent Nol73,258, dated February 8, 1876; application filed December 27, 1875.

This invention is in the nature of an im-- provement in fiy-traps; and the invention consists in a fly-tra-p composed of a base, to

which is hinged a foraminous flap, combined with a flat spring secured at one end tothe base, and its other end projecting through the flap and operating against a cross-bar in said flap, thereby tending to keep it down, and a prop, designed to hold the flap up, all as' and for the purpose hereinafter specified.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings, Figure 1 represents a front View of my flytrap set in position; and Fig. 2 is a cross-section of same in line a m, Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in both figures.

A represents the base of my fly-trap, to the side of which is suitably secured by hinges a wire-gauze flap, B. To thebase'A, and on one side of the same, is attached a spring, 0. This spring is made of flat steel, or other suitable material and form, and it passes through the gauze flap B, resting on a cross-bar, a,

' which extends across the frame of the flap;

also, to the base A, and on one side of the same, is secured .a prop, b."This prop is hinged, and may be readily adjusted.

My fly-trap being constructed substantially as above described,,.it is operated by raising the flap B from the base at an angle of, say,

forty-five degrees, in which position it is held by the support or prop b. Iudoing this the spring 0 is bent to a curve, as shown in Fig. 2. The base A is then covered with sugar or molasses to attract the flies, and when a suffi cient number have collected the support b is displaced, which allows the spring 0 to force the flap B downward on the base A with great suddenness and force, crushing the flies between it and the base.

The flies thus crushed are brushed off, and the trap reset, as before described.

The flap B, beingof gauze, permits the air to pass through the openings as it is brought down on the base, and in that way prevents the air from blowing the flies away in its descent, which would otherwise be the case.

Having thus described the construction and operation of my fly-trap, what i claim as new, and desire to secure. by Letters Patent, is The hereinbefore-described fly-trap, composed of a base, A, to which is hinged a wire gauze or other perforated flap, B, combined with a flat spring, 0, and prop b, the springG secured to the base at one end, and having a long free end projecting through the flap, in constant contactwith a cross-bar, a, and operating substantially in the manner specified.

JOHN A. BLAUVEL'I Witnesses: A i

J. H. HARING, GARRET H. GARDENIER. 

